Verizon Business to provide global links for NZ research net

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 07 September 2006 19:03

Business IT - Networking

Verizon Business has secured a three year contract with Research Education Advanced Network New Zealand (REANNZ) to provide and manage a global network linking similar research and education networks in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia.

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REANNZ - now renamed KAREN the Kiwi Advanced Research and Education Network - is a Government initiative to provide an ultra-high speed broadband connection linking universities and research organisations to each other and to similar organisations overseas. The government has granted the project $NZ43 million.

Verizon Business will provide direct links between Auckland and Sydney and Auckland and Seattle: an STM-4 to Seattle and STM-1 to Sydney.

Darren Day, Verizon Business Marketing Director, Asia Pacific, told iTWire "We manage co-location and interconnection  to the Pacific Wave network in the US and into AARNet in Australia. We are also providing intellectual property and experience from managing similar network in Europe and the US."

He added: "[REANNZ] have plans to extend the network to other countries in the future, particularly in Asia." He would not comment on possible bandwidth increases but said. "All education networks tend to grow...[REANNZ has commitment from a number of agencies and they are looking at on-selling access to other research organisations."

The new network will be a great improvement on current international access which has been relied on regular Internet services. REANNZ chairman, Dr Jim Watson, said: "This has limited the participation of New Zealand organisations in research, development and education activities. For New Zealand to truly compete internationally in R&D, this network is essential."

Charles Jarvie, head of development for REANNZ, added that "Until now, much of the collaboration in research and education with overseas parties has been done using regular Internet services such as e-mail and low-level, file-transfer processes."

TelstraClear was selected in December 2005 to build and operate the domestic portion of the REANNZ network  and signed a contract with REANNZ in April 2006.  Shortly afterwards, TelstraClear awarded Ericsson a four year contract to supply and commission the switching intelligence for the network and provide support services to assist TelstraClear operate and maintain it.

Verizon Business was created earlier this year by the merger of US domestic telco Verizon Communications and MCI and has a presence in more than 75 countries.  In New Zealand it provides international data, private IP and IP services.